Former WBC bantamweight champion Wayne McCullough has targeted a fight with WBO featherweight title-holder Prince Naseem Hamed next year. The 27-year-old Las Vegas-based Ulsterman is prepared to move up a division, from super-bantamweight to featherweight, in order to meet Hamed.

"I've boxed a couple of times at his weight and felt strong - but if he moves up to super-featherweight, that would be outside my weight class," said McCullough.

"He got out of trouble against Kevin Kelley - a good fighter, but past his best - what's he going to do when he's landed his best shots and I'm still there?"

Before then, though, the 1992 Olympic silver medallist is expected to have a warm-up bout on January 10th in preparation for a tilt at unbeaten WBC super-bantamweight champion Erik Morales in Las Vegas on February 28th.

The 21-year-old Mexican's last defence ended in retirement for McCullough's countryman, John Lowey, who sustained a broken right hand.